Process of felting or matting fibers together.



IPatented April 26, 1904.

UNTTED STATEs PATENT OFFICES GUSTAV GOLDMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. I

PROCESS OF FELTING OR MATTING FIBERS TOGETHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,244, dated. April 26, 1904. Application filed September 26, 1903. Serifllln. 174,815- (No specimens.) f

To all whom it'may concern:

Beit known that I, GUSTAV GoLDMAN, aresident of Baltimore, Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Felting or Matting Fibers Together, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification. r p

This invent-ion relates to the art of treating fibrous materials, whether of vegetable, animal, or mineral origin or a mixture of these, in such a manner that they are bound together in a felted or matted mass, preferably in sheet or similar form. In my application, Serial N 0. 171,288, filed on the 29th day of August, 1903, I have described and broadly claimed a process of treating fibers for this purpose, which, broadly stated, consists in introducing between the fibers a binding material in adry or finely-divided form andthen subsequently treating said material in such a way as to make it an active binder to the end that it may serve to bind the materials firmly together, and in said application I have claimed the process broadly or generically andhave also embodied therein certain specific claims directed to one particular mode of carrying out the broad inventive idea.

The present invention relates to the same art of binding fibers together and is a specific embodiment of the broad invention referred to in the aforementioned application, but is not specifically claimed therein. In the aforesaid application the specific claims define a process wherein the binding material is introduced between the fibers in a dry form, together with means for supplying moisture or other solvent for the binding material, whereby it is rendered capable of actively binding the fibers together.

The process of the present invention consists in introducing between thefibers a plurality of substances in dry form which under proper conditions will react upon each other, so as to form a different substance or composition from that originally introduced, which new substance will itself constitute a binder whereby the fibers are firmly held together in a compact or matted mass.

The inventlve ldea involved may receive various expressions or may be exemplified by a variety of forms, all of which will come within the scope of the invention. For example, there may be introduced among the fibers a plurality of substances none of which themselves would constitute a binder for the fibers,

but which, nevertheless, as the result of the reaction between the various ingredients are capable of forming a hinder, or one or more of the plurality of substances thus introduced might be capable of being a more or less effective binding agent before 'the reaction due to the presence of the other substance or substances without departing from the spirit of the invention. Moreover, the substances may beintroduced by sifting the same in powdered form throughout the fiuify or lightlyseparated mass of the fibers, or they may be dusted between superimposed films or layers of the fibers as the same come from a carding or similar machine.

One expression of the inventive idea involved which has been found to give highly satisfactory results consists in the following process, viz: Finely-divided particles of a soluble soap, as soda soap, and a salt of suitable metal, as alum, are introduced between the fibers either separately or mixed together in a substantially dry state, and are subsequently treated by heat, preferably in the presence of added moisturefor example, by steamso as to cause the metal of the salt to unite with I the soap and form an insoluble metallic soap which will constitute a waterprmnder for the fibers. Preferably the fibrous material is subjected to heat and pressure at the time or immediately after the introduction of steam is elfected, and for the purpose of effecting mechanical and continued operation and economy of production the fibers between which the'substances have been introduced, as hereinbefore indicated, are carried between heated rollers. The, result of this treatment is to produce an effective binding material, which in the particular case mentioned is highly waterproof and serves to bind the fibers into a felted or matted mass.

In this instance the soluble soap would itself constitute a binder; but its Value as a binding agent is inferior to that of the insoluble soap resulting from the chemical reaction between the soluble soap and the metallic salt. Moreover, a metallic soap not only constitutes an effective binder for holding the fibers together, but it. also serves to waterproof the felted or matted mass of fibers. thereby rendering the material capable of use for purposes where a non-waterproof product could not be used. While soda soap and alum have been herein specified as the ingredients employed in the particular process mentioned,'these substances are illustrative only, as any suitable soluble soap and metallic salt could be employed for the purpose, and while the particulur method of effecting the reaction consists in the treatment of these materials by steam it is not to be understood that this is the only means which could be resorted to for effecting the reaction. Any substances capable of being introducedbe tween the fibers in a dry finely-divided form and of being caused to react upon each other by proper treatment so as to form a binder for the fibers and any method of treatment which will cause this reaction would be within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it is not essential for the purposes of the invention that the materials at the time they are introduced between the fibers should be in the form of powder, as they might be in the form of infinitesimally thin films or finelyshredded threads or particles, it only being essential that they should be in such condition that they can be readily introduced between the fibers and subsequently treated so as to bring about the desired reaction to form the binder. Moreover, the materials maybe either finely distributed throughout the entire mass of a single layer or sheet of the fibrous material or it may be interposed between superimposed layers thereof. 1

The condition herein described as a dry condition is meant to include any and all conditions of the material or materials which will permit it or them to beintroduced between the fibers in a finely-divided state, preferably as a powder or similar state of fine division. While the powdered form is preferred in order that it may sift in between the fibers, this is not essential, as the materials may be,

- if desired, and in some instances are, finely divided into infinitesimally thin sheets or into minute threads, which are introduced between films or layers of the fibers or otherwise.

' i From the foregoing description it will be evident that for the purposes of this invention it is not essential .that the-materials should actually sift through the entire mass of the fibers under treatment. It is equally within the invention if the materials be applied to those fibers lying near the exterior surface or surfaces of the mass of fibers under treatment or if the materials operate upon successive superimposed films or sheets, so as to bind the fibers together into a combined felted mass.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. The method of treating fibers or fibrous materials which consists in introducing between the fibers a plurality of dry finely-divided materials and causing them to react so as to form a binding material whereby the fibers will be held together in a felted or matted mass.

2. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a plurality of substances in dry finely-divided condition and then causing these substances to react upon each other and thus produce a new substance capable of binding the fibers together. i

3. The process-of treating fibers onfibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and a salt of a metal both in powdered form, and then treating the same to form an insoluble metallic soap.

4. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers-soda soap and a salt of a metal both in dry powdered form, and then bringing.

about the reaction between the soap and the salt to form an insoluble metallic soap.

5. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and alum both in powdered form, and then bringing about the reaction between the soap and the alum to form an aluminium soap.

6. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists inintroducing between the fibers a plurality of substances and then subjecting the same to heat whereby said substances are caused to react and form a new substance constituting a binder for the fibrous material.

7. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a plurality of substances in powdered form capable of reacting upon each other to produce a new substance and then subjecting said substances to heat and pressure whereby, a binding substance is formed and the fibers are effectively bound together.

8. The process of treating fibers or..fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a plurality of substances in powdered formcapable of reacting so as to form a binding substance, and then subjecting said substances to heat and pressure in the presence of moisture whereby a bindingsubstance is formed and the fibers are bound together.

9. The process of treating fibers and fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and a salt of a metal both in powdered form, and then subjecting the same to heat whereby an insoluble metalfibers together.

10. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and a salt of a metal both in powdered form, and then subjecting the same to heat and pressure whereby an insoluble waterproof soap is formed which serves to bind the fibers together.

11. The process of treating fibers or fibrousmaterial which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and a salt of a metal both in powdered form, and then subjecting the same to heat and pressure whereby an insoluble waterproof metallic soap is formed which serves to bind the fibers together in a felted mass.

12. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soda soap and a salt of a metal both in powdered form, and then subjecting the same to heat and pressure in the presence of moisture whereby an insoluble metallic soap is formed which serves to bind the fibers together.

13. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and alum both in powdered form, and then bringing about a reaction between the soap and the alum in the presence of heat and pressure whereby a metallic soap is formed which serves to bind the fibers together in a felted mass.

14. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibersasoda soap and asalt of a metal both in powdered form and then bringing about the reaction between the soap and the salt in the presence of heat and pressure whereby a metallic waterproof soap is formed which serves to bind the fibers together in a felted mass.

15. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers soda soap and alum both in powdered form, and then bringing about the reaction between the soap and the alum in the presence of heat and pressure whereby an aluminium soap is formed which serves to bind the fibers together in a felted mass.

16. The process of treating fibers or fibrous materials which consists in introducing between the fibers a plurality of substances and then causing said substances to react and form a new substance constituting a binder for the fibrous materials by subjecting said substances to the action of steam.

17. The process of treating fibers or fibrous materials which consists in introducing between the fibers a plurality of substances and then causing said substances to react and form a new substance constituting a binder for the fibrous materials by subjecting said substances to the action of steam and pressure.

18. The process of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers asoluble soap and the salt of ametal both in powdered form,'and then subjecting the same to the action of steam whereby an insoluble metallic soap is formed that serves to bind the fibers together.

19. The process'of treating fibers or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and the salt of a metal, both in powdered form, and then subjecting the same to the action of steam and pressure, whereby an insoluble metallic soap is formed that serves to bind the fibers together.

20. The process of treating fibers'or fibrous material which consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and alum both in powdered form, and then subjecting the same to the action of steam, whereby an aluminium soap is formed which serves to bind the fibers together in a felted mass.

21. The process of treating fibers or fibrous materialwhich consists in introducing between the fibers a soluble soap and alum both in powdered form, and then subjecting the same to the action of steam and pressure, whereby an aluminium soapis formed which serves to bind the fibers together in a felted mass.

In testimony whereof I "have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- GUSTAV GOLDMAN.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR LEE BRow'NE, FRANCIS T. HOMER. 

